Twisted Identities
by Anise Nalci
Summary: When Sakura disappears, along with her father, after a freak incident, it must be a magic related incident. Futile attempts of trying to find them leads Syaoran and Meiling Li to team up with the old cardcaptors' team, to uncover the mystery behind it.
1. The Fortune

**Twisted Identities**

By lianneharmony

---

Disclaimer

_I do not own any characters presently linked with CCS at the moment. Everything else you see here is a figment of my imagination_

_---_

Summary

_Sakura Kinomoto was the Mistress of the Clow Cards, wielding enormous power over the magical worlds, surpassing some of the descendants of families with ancient ties to the realm of the supernatural. So when she disappears, along with her father, after a freak incident, it is no surprise that the whole incident had to be magic-related. Years later, after futile attempts of trying to find them, Syaoran and Meiling Li team up with the old cardcaptors' team, in order to uncover the mystery behind their disappearance, made more difficult when a new and strange aura of magic is sensed in the middle of Tokyo._

---

Chapter 1: The Fortune

"Ah, so beautiful!" eleven-year old Sakura Kinomoto cried. The sunrise all over the quaint town of Tomoeda filled her up with such joy that she felt like dancing with joy.

"Sakura-chan!" Kero grumbled, as he woke up from his spot in the drawer.

"_Gomen_," Sakura said. "But today is just so beautiful!" She yelled again in happiness.

Kero rubbed his eyes and moved nearer to the window. "_Sakura-chan_, it's cloudy. It looks like it's going to rain"

"Eh?" Sakura "But – but – I swear, it was –"

Kero nodded. "Whatever you say."

---

Sitting on the stairs, where she would be able to avoid Kero's glare, Sakura knew he didn't believe her, but honestly and logically, what reason would she have for disturbing his sleep?

Scratch that. Kero could come up with a fair lot of reasons. But it really was sunny that morning – though how come it looked like it was about to rain in torrents was beyond her –

Sakura was so muddled in her thoughts she didn't notice the phone ring. She didn't notice her father or Touya yelling for her to pick it up. She didn't notice Touya cursing and picking up the phone himself.

"_Kaijuu_, it's _Tomoyo-chan_," Touya said irritably.

"Huh?"

"What, are you deaf now? I didn't know that a _kaijuu _like you would be deaf, at least I don't think so. Ow," he rubbed the knee that Sakura kicked. "Well, _Tomoyo-chan's_ waiting at the phone."

Sakura picked up the phone. "_Ohayu Tomoyo-chan_," she said glumly.

"Oh _Sakura-chan!_ You are never going to guess what news I have!"

"What, _Tomoyo-chan_?"

"_Ne_, why so glum?"

"That's not the answer."

"Well, you answer my question and I'll tell you what's up."

Sakura groaned and told her about her day with Kero. To which Tomoyo replied, "How weird. Hey, what if – what if it's something to do with magic?" Tomoyo ran off with a dreamy voice. "Aaaaah! I'll have to start a new collection, and –"

"Right, and what's up?' Sakura sighed, trying earnestly not to roll her eyes.

That shook Tomoyo from her thoughts. "_Meiling-chan_ just called me. Apparently, she and you-know-who are coming over to Tomoeda sooner than previously thought. Meaning today, 5:30pm sharp at the airport. Wei has already arrived, but he's gone to Tokyo for some magic-related thingy and will be back later at night. I wasn't supposed to tell you this, because Syaoran wanted to surprise you and –"

"_Syaoran-kun_ and _Meiling-chan _are here?"

"Well, they will be. And just in time too! I heard that today there's going to be a little carnival setting up at penguin Park. We could all go there afterwards. That would be lovely, _ne Sakura-chan?_"

"_Hai_," she almost whispered.

"And I'll have to bring along my video-recorder. Ah, this will be so _kawaii!"_

Sakura sweat-dropped.

---

5:30 sharp Sakura and Tomoyo (with Kero, who was still annoyed with Sakura and ignored her, falling asleep in Sakura's bag in the process) were at the airport, waiting at the arrivals section.

"So how'd Touya take it?" Tomoyo began.

"Chores, for five weeks. He's really becoming a pain. I wonder whether he'll ever grow up – eh, _Tomoyo-chan_, why are you smiling?"

Following the direction of Tomoyo's finger, she herself broke into a large smile.

---

It was a very funny reunion. Syaoran was blushing and pulled Meiling to one side, and that resulted in Meiling bawling and whining to Tomoyo for telling Sakura ("How could you, _Tomoyo-chan_? You knew it was a secret!") and ended up laughing and giggling with Tomoyo, which made Syaoran think that they actually planned it, so he attempted to choke Meiling, and Sakura just stood there innocently trying to understand the whole picture.

"_Syaoran-kun, _you shouldn't strangle your beloved cousin!_"_

"Shut up, you little – how could you tell?"

"Oh, _Syaoran-kun!" _Meiling suddenly ran off, and Syaoran would have followed, if it weren't for a hand holding him back."

"I'm glad you're back," Sakura said softly. "I think that we both had a delightful surprise."

Syaoran blushed.

"_Kawaii!" _Tomoyo yelled, video-taping the whole thing.

From inside Sakura's bag, Kero growled.

---

"So much for filial love," Meiling was complaining. "How could _Syaoran-kun_ do this to me?"

Syaoran simply gave her a piercing look. Not that it worked on Meiling; Meiling was too thick-skinned for nuts.

"Well, at least you didn't get it as bad as _Sakura-chan_ did," Tomoyo sighed. "Kero's convinced she's out to torture him now. That's why she went to the bathroom, so she could talk to Kero and soothe him. Though I think that's fighting a losing battle."

"Why?" Syaoran and Meiling asked, forgetting about before.

Tomoyo told them everything.

Meiling laughed. "So she's cracking up, is she?"

_Smack!_

"_Syaoran-kun_! That isn't funny!" Meiling complained. "Oh wait, I forgot you –"

_Smack!_

"I told Sakura, there could be magic-related stuff, but she – well, I don't know what she thinks, and Kero is really tired now, having to repair the Book of the Cards, and I don't think _Yukito-san _(Syaoran's face darkened at the mention of his name) is planning to transform into _Yue-sama_ anytime soon," Tomoyo continued.

"Well –"

"_Nani! Syaoran-kun_, no wonder you felt a weird aura of magic. I can't believe you're – oh no!" And Meiling continued to rattle off.

"Shh, don't say this to _Sakura-chan_ or that toy. I think we'd better investigate this further –"

Tomoyo and Meiling kept mum.

---

"Isn't it a wonderful day?" Sakura said smilingly when they were all out of the airport and at Penguin Park in Tomoeda, carefully avoiding Kero, who seemed angrier than ever, and who was also avoiding her by sitting on Tomoyo's shoulder.

"It is," Syaoran said, smiling fondly at her.

"Oh, aren't they so _kawaii_, _Meiling-chan?"_ Tomoyo said, with her video-recorder.

That certainly ruined the moment for the couple. Syaoran was blushing, and Sakura sweat-dropped.

"Eh, _Tomoyo-chan_, you shouldn't have ruined the moment! Look now, they're all so – what's the word for it?" Meiling asked, repeating several words in Chinese over and over again, trying to find the Japanese substitute.

"Whatever, that _kaijuu _and her _baka-kuzo _boyfriend are perfect in the sense that they're both _baka_," Kero said bitterly.

"_Nani?" _Syaoran said, whilst Sakura said, "_Hoe?"_

"You heard me right!" Kero was about to attack further, before Tomoyo stepped in as peacekeeper and coaxed him back into good spirits.

"It _is _a beautiful day, and it's a carnival day, and it's going to be a fun day, so Kero, please – I'll get you any gourmet dish you want – just don't fight with either _Sakura-chan _or _Li-kun_, _ne?_"

He nodded.

"Eh, a fortune-teller!" Meiling pointed out to a little tent, where there was a crystal ball poster and a veiled woman. "The amazing Aikemusuliha will tell fortunes – let's go!"

"Meiling, we already had our fortunes told in Hong Kong," Syaoran grumbled.

"And my fortune was that I'd not meet my true love until I'm seventeen. That's a sucky fortune, _ne Tomoyo-chan_? I want a boyfriend now. _Sakura-chan_, you can understand how jealous I am of you, can't you?"

"_Hoe?" _Sakura blinked, obviously not understanding.

"And you haven't ever been to a fortune-teller, have you? You'll be so excited! Now listen, if you sense a strong aura of magic around him/her, she's really good, but you won't be able to sense it unless you're within the magic circle, and –"

"Meiling, she's not going –"

"But _Syaoran-kun_, it'll be fun! _Tomoyo-chan, Sakura-chan_, let's go."

Tomoyo – with Kero on tow – obediently followed with the video-recorder, whilst Sakura was dragged off by Tomoyo.

Syaoran could only stare after them.

---

Aikemusuliha's tent was creepy, to Sakura at least. It had a strange aura of magic, and as all three girls went deeper inside the tent, Sakura's face turned white.

"There's – there's spirits here – supernatural ones," she whispered faintly, as if she was about to pass out.

"Ah! I hope that I'll catch one here!" Tomoyo said happily, zooming around for a spirit. "Wait, can people like me see spirits?" She asked later, debating with Kero whether spirits could be video-taped.

"Eh, spirits? That's good. Good fortune-tellers tell fortunes with the aid of spirits," Meiling told Sakura.

"_Nani?" _Sakura was visibly trembling now.

"Yeah, didn't you – _Sakura-chan! _Where are you going?" As Sakura ran out the way she entered, with Meiling and Tomoyo running after her. But it was strange; the more they ran in the opposite direction –

The exit was nowhere in sight.

"Whoa, what a crazy place," Kero said. "_Sakura-chan_, maybe you could –"

"I don't think you should do that," a voice came behind them, causing all three (Kero was not included, and pretended to become a stuffed toy, so as not to reveal his identity) to jump.

"Oh, and Cerberus, you don't have to hide from me," the voice continued. Sakura's pupils constricted with fear. What had she gotten herself into?

"I had been expecting you, Mistress of the Cards," the voice continued. From the shadows, Sakura could see a tall, beautiful veiled woman, in Middle-Eastern garb, emerge. "_Ohayou gozaimasu."_

"Do – do I know you?" Sakura asked her hesitantly.

"No, but you will," she took Sakura's hand. "I need to tell your fortune. Otherwise –"

"Otherwise, what?" Tomoyo asked, clearly frightened.

"Fate's will must be obeyed," the veiled lady said, simply.

"How do you know my name?" Kero wanted to ask, but the lady seemed to ignore the question. "This is way creepy," he said in an undertone to Tomoyo."

"_Hai_," she replied.

---

They entered a room with incense and fog from the dry ice filling the air, dimly lit by scented candles that seemed to waft Sakura's thoughts away.

"Mistress of the Cards, I shall now proceed to tell your future. Please, give me your hands," the veiled woman ordered her to, when all of them were seated on a table, with a glass ball, in the center. Sakura complied, and at that moment felt a circle of magic being formed, whilst the others looked on in surprise.

The aura of magic almost overwhelmed Sakura, dizzying her. She could hardly stay focused. Everyone seemed to disappear, in a flash of light –

---

"_Hoe? _What on earth happened?" Sakura rubbed her eyes, as she opened them. Everywhere was white.

"_Hoe? _What's happened to _Kero-chan, Tomoyo-chan _and _Meiling-chan_? What did you do to them?" Sakura yelled angrily when she caught sight of the veiled woman.

"They weren't supposed to be there. _He _was supposed to be there."

"Who's _he _supposed to be?"

"Your boyfriend –"

"_Syaoran-kun? _What's he got to do with my future?"

"You might not have one."

"_Hoe? _What do you mean?"

"That's exactly what I mean. Since you didn't come with him, you might disappear from the face of the earth."

"His fortune was already told. He didn't want to come –"

"And do you want to know why? It said to 'Beware of fortune-tellers for the rest of this month'."

"This is –"

"He knows you shouldn't have come," the veiled woman stepped forward menacingly. She seemed to have grown so tall she almost towered over Sakura.

Lightning flashed, and Sakura fainted.

---

"_Sakura-chan? Sakura-chan? Sakura-chan?"_ Voices were echoing Sakura's name over and over again. She willed herself to open her eyes, and realized she was sitting at the bottom of a cherry blossom tree. She looked up to see Syoran next to her, holding her hand, as if he was really worried, and beside him were Tomoyo (with Kero on top of her shoulder), Meiling and – surprisingly – Yue and Touya.

"What happened there, _Sakura-chan_? Yue asked the young girl.

"I – I don't know. How did I get here?"

"I saw you walking out of the tent, as if you were in a trance, and then you fainted," Syaoran said. "What the hell happened?"

"I fainted, and then, suddenly I was – somewhere."

"Eh? But – you just walked off with the veiled lady, as if nothing was the matter. When we tried to follow both of you, you disappeared."

"Something fishy's going on," Kero noted.

"You don't say," Yue snapped. "Did she tell you your fortune?"

"_Ha - Hai_. She said –" And Sakura's face paled.

"_Sakura-chan, Sakura-chan_, what is it?" Syaoran held her as she seemed like she was going to faint – again.

"Hey, get your hands off my sister, baka! – Sakura, speak to me!" Touya tried to inch nearer to his sister, but she was still in Syaoran's arms.

"No – it's just that – she told me I would – I would –"

"_Since you didn't come with him, you might disappear from the face of the earth."_

"Eh, how can that be?" Kero whined.

"It means exactly what it says, duh!" Meiling retorted.

From behind her video-recorder, Tomoyo gasped.

Silence surrounded the group.

---

A week had passed and the fortune hadn't seemed to have any indication of happening.

"Good, she was a fraud," Touya and Yue agreed.

Sakura wasn't sure, though. That magic circle – it was absurdly strong – and she couldn't help remembering what Meiling said:

"_Now listen, if you sense a strong aura of magic around him/her, she's really good, but you won't be able to sense it unless you're within the magic circle, and –"_

This was absurd. She wasn't going to die –

"_Sakura-chan,_" her father called. "I'm going to he University. Would you like to come?"

"_Hai!" _Maybe with her father, she'd be able to forget about that veiled woman. She wondered whether the veiled woman was really Aikemusuliha, but no – she needed to relax. She couldn't be afraid forever. Besides, she didn't want to worry Syaoran or Tomoyo –

"The taxi's here, Sakura!"

---

Sakura looked out of the window, quietly enjoying the view. Kero didn't accompany her, as he usually did nowadays, so it was just her and her father.

"_Sakura-chan_, why so quiet?"

"It's nothing," and she smiled.

"Well, if you say so –"

Her father and the taxi driver made some conversation, trivial things about the weather when suddenly –

Was the fortune going to come true?

---

Touya Kinomoto was lounging around in the living room, waiting for Sakura and his father to return. They should have returned about an hour ago, and he was beginning to worry –

The phone rang.

"Touya Kinomoto here."

"_Ohayu gozaimasu._ This is the Chief Detective of the Tomoeda Police Department. May I ask a few questions?"

"Shoot away."

"Are you related to a Fujitaka Kinomoto?"

"Yes, he's my father."

"Then I'm afraid I have bad news for you. He was on board a taxi and an accident occurred. Cause unknown."

"_Nani? _What about my sister?"

"Your sister?"

"Sakura Kinomoto – she was with my father, on the way to the University!"

Pause. "We don't know about that. We only know your father was in the car, because a suitcase belonging to him was found. We haven't found any bodies, except those of the taxi driver."

"He's dead?"

"_Hai_."

"And my father and sister are missing."

"_Hai_." Another pause. "I don't want to be the bearer of bad news, but – it's a possibility that your father and sister are dead."

Touya's eyes widened in shock, though he managed to compose himself quickly.

"Are you sure?"

"There was an explosion."

"Then how come the briefcase –?"

"It was probably thrown out as your father and sister tried to escape."

"Oh. Thank you."

"_Ja ne_. And lastly, my condolences."

"Thank you again," and Touya hung up. He turned to the dining table, where Nadeshiko's picture was.

"Oh mother," he began and covered his face.

---

The phone rang about four hours later, waking Touya up.

"_Ohayu_, who's this?"

"_Ohayu, Touya-san?_ It's _Tomoyo-chan_. Do you know where Sakura is? She was supposed to be here hours ago."

Touya went silent. "_Touya-san, Touya-san?_"

"_Tomoyo-chan_, the police believe that _Sakura-chan _and my father are dead."

---

Everyone was silent when they heard the news. No more festivities. It was a bad dream for all of them.

Touya had arranged a little memorial for Sakura and his father. It was a quiet one. The sky was grey, and the world looked dark to all of them. Touya noted their expressions, especially Sakura's friends.

Tomoyo was crying, holding a video-tape. "My last video-tape for Sakura," she said, with watery eyes, and burst into tears.

Another girl – Sakura's friend from Hong Kong, he believed – seemed to be in denial. "What's all this for?" And she herself was in tears.

And that _baka _boyfriend of hers – the immature _kuzo_, his face was expressionless, as if it had been carved in granite.

He overheard them speaking later. It seemed like the _baka_ was leaving Tomoeda – for good. That cousin of his was going to accompany him. Tomoyo shed many tears, but she couldn't stop them.

"I have nothing left for me here," the _baka _said, emotionlessly.

After that day, Touya, Yukito, Kero and Tomoyo never saw them. At least not yet.

Touya was sure that wasn't the last time that he'd see those two.

And he could just be right.

---

Author's Note:

Wow! That was a really long chapter! I hope it looks as interesting as it seems! Do read and review! 

I know I'm supposed to be updating my other stories, but this story won't leave my head. So I'll try and finish this up and continue quickly!


	2. The Present

**Twisted Identities**

By lianneharmony

---

Disclaimer

_I do not own any characters presently linked with CCS at the moment. Everything else you see here is a figment of my imagination_

_---_

Summary

_Sakura Kinomoto was the Mistress of the Clow Cards, wielding enormous power over the magical worlds, surpassing some of the descendants of families with ancient ties to the realm of the supernatural. So when she disappears, along with her father, after a freak incident, it is no surprise that the whole incident had to be magic-related. Years later, after futile attempts of trying to find them, Syaoran and Meiling Li team up with the old cardcaptors' team, in order to uncover the mystery behind their disappearance, made more difficult when a new and strange aura of magic is sensed in the middle of Tokyo._

---

Translations of Mandarin and Japanese words are below, under Author's Notes.

---

Flashback from Chapter 1:

"_I have nothing left for me here," the baka said, emotionlessly._

_After that day, Touya, Yukito, Kero and Tomoyo never saw them. At least not yet._

_Touya was sure that wasn't the last time that he'd see those two._

_And he could just be right._

---

Chapter 2: The Present

_Five years._

_Five years have passed._

_Five years have passed without her._

_And I'm still not yet healed._

---

"_Mei-Ling_, could you go and see _Xiao-Lang_ again?" Yelan asked her niece.

This was the billionth time that Meiling had been asked by her aunt to speak to her _kawaii _cousin.

"I'll try, _a yi_, but _Xiao-Lang _doesn't speak to me anymore. He doesn't speak Japanese, he doesn't want to talk, especially not about _her_."

"You'll have you force him."

"It's no good, _a yi_."

"You must try, _Mei-Ling_. I'm worried about him. He's becoming too – solitary. I've done everything, make him date other girls, make his meet other people – nothing seems to work."

"He's a lone wolf."

"I'm not amused by that _Mei-Ling._ The problem is that he's ignoring everyone. He doesn't even respond when _Xie-Fa, Fan-Ren, Fei-Mei_, and _Fu-Tie _embarrass him. It's like he's living in his little world."

"_Wo shen me dou bu zhi dao_," Meiling told her aunt.

"We need to confront him with these emotions. I know, why don't you both go to Tomoeda –?"

"But _Xiao-Lang _will be devastated. He'll probably end up committing suicide."

"Fine, force him to go back to Japan and confront his memories. At least he'll be forced to speak Japanese. It's unhealthy for him to bottle it up only.

"_Wo bu yao_. You know he'll kill me, _a yi_."

"Fine, I'll tell him. I'll even give him a reason to go: _The Book Of Illusions_, by Clow Reed."

Meiling stared at Yelan. _"A yi_, I don't think that'll work."

---

_I wonder how she is._

_I can't believe it has been this long._

_I miss her._

_I wish –_

_I wish I could see her again._

_And tell her –_

_I will always love her._

"She knows that, Syaoran," Yelan spoke, when she entered his room.

Syaoran jumped in surprise, and frowned when she spoke in Japanese to him. "_Ni wei shen me bu shuo han yu?_ And how do you know what I'm thinking?" He replied in Mandarin.

"_Wo shi ni de ma ma_. Of course I'll know."

"What is it this time?"

"You're going to Japan."

"_Bu yao_."

"That's what Mei-Ling told me too. But I'm afraid you'll have to. Maybe not to Tomoeda (Syaoran's face went dark), but at least to Tokyo. You'll have to get me a book, a copy of Clow Reed's book called _The Book Of Illusions_. If you want I'll even let you read it."

"I'm still not going."

"Even for training? You know how much you love to improve your magical abilities."

"_Wo bu yao_."

"Xiao-Lang, you're being ridiculous. You're going and that's it."

"_Zai jian_, my darling son, or should I say, _ja ne?" _Yelan said, as she exited the room.

---

_It's hopeless._

_She expects me to heal and forget you._

_How can anyone forget you?_

_How can anyone forget their first love?_

_How could anyone forget their first true love?_

_You haunt my memories, night and day. I'm afraid to go to sleep and dream about you, because if I do, I never want to wake up from this dream._

_I love and care for you._

_How can I simply forget you?_

And for the first time since Sakura's disappearance, Syaoran spoke in Japanese.

"_Sakura-chan, kimi o aishiteru_."

---

"Hurry up, _Xiao-Lang! _We'll be late for our flight otherwise."

"Coming," Syaoran answered glumly.

"So, when we go to Japan, will you speak Japanese? Or do you need me to translate for you?"

"You'll see, _Mei-Ling."_

---

Touya Kinomoto was sitting with his best friend, Yukito Tsukishiro, his cousin, Tomoyo Daidouji, and with Kero, a stuffed toy he had to remember was not actually a stuffed toy, but rather the Guardian of the Seal, at the dining table. He mindlessly caressed all of Sakura's plush toys, whilst Yukito and Tomoyo stared at him, and kero ate as if there was no tomorrow.

"You have to live your life, _Touya-san_, it's what _Sakura-chan _would have wanted."

"What makes you think I'm thinking about that _kaijuu_?"

"You're holding her stuff."

"Oh, right." He let go of the toys.

"You know what? We need a trip. To forget about all this."

"It's pretty difficult to forget, since this is going to be the first trip we'll have without _kaijuu_."

"Oh, stop all the melodrama! Sakura's not dead! – I hope." Kero exclaimed, after he'd finished his meal.

"How would you know?" Tomoyo asked Kero.

"Because there isn't a successor to the Cards, is there? And because I can sense the aura of the cards. They're getting edgy, impatient – they may self-destruct – which means she might be alive –"

"I sense a 'but'," Yukito spoke.

"Or she may be dead, and when the Clow Cards self-destruct, it'll bring chaos to the world unless the Book of the Cards are destroyed."

"Now, isn't that a nice picture," Touya said sarcastically.

"How come I couldn't sense this?" Yukito asked.

"Because you're Yukito, not Yue."

"Well, you know, if Sakura's alive – and there's always the chance that she is, we could look for her –" Tomoyo suggested.

"No, there's a catch. Remember the fortune said that Sakura would disappear?"

"Right. But shouldn't there be an aura of magic strong enough that you can recognize it as hers, being a cardcaptor?" Touya asked.

"There could, but it's likely to be dormant."

"Well, we'll never know until we try. So, _Kero-chan_, how exactly do we do this?"

---

"Are you sure about this? I feel guilty about this, you know."

"Shh, don't disturb, _Tomoyo-chan_. Kero's concentrating."

"Oh _baka! Baka no kuzo!_"

"Eh? What happened?"

"Tomoyo, I didn't need to look for that _kuzo!_ This was his!_"_

"You mean _Syaoran-kun?"_

"That _gaki?"_

"He's in Tokyo now."

"_Gaki_. He doesn't seem to care about my sister. I knew he wasn't worthy."

"_Touya-san_, you're being too harsh on him. He's really a nice kid."

"Says who?"

"_Touya-san,_ _Syaoran-kun_ is really nice."

"Whatever. Here's something. Maybe it'll be more successful."

"Nope, says Tokyo. I guess it doesn't work now."

"Or maybe we'll just have to go to Tokyo," Tomoyo finished.

They all went silent.

---

When Syaoran and Meiling arrived in Tokyo, Syaoran froze slightly.

"What's wrong?"

"Something's wrong."

Meiling rolled her eyes. "I know that. But what?"

"Mei-ling, you wouldn't believe me, but I don't think Sakura's dead."

Meiling looked shocked that Sayoran was actually beginning to talk about Sakura, after all these years, but she quickly overcame her shock. "Right."

"See, I knew it."

"I'm not being sarcastic, _Xiao-Lang_, I just mean that I knew it. If someone disappears, it doesn't mean she's dead."

"_Ni zen me bu zao shuo ya?_" Syaoran was irritated now.

"Well, if we want to find your princess charming, you'd better hurry and check into the hotel."

---

Tomoyo was awakened by her cell-phone ringing. "Who could it be at this hour?" It couldn't be any of her classmates, although she was pretty popular. They were all probably asleep. And who else could have gotten her number?

"_Ohayu, Tomoyo-chan!" _A familiar voice said.

Tomoyo sat up. "_Mei – Meiling-chan?_"

"The one and only. I'm so glad you didn't change your cell-phone number!"

"_Nani? _I haven't spoken to you in how many years! How come you're only calling now."

"Well," Meiling began in a solemn tone. "Today something miraculous happened."

"_Nani?" _Tomoyo asked.

"_Syaoran-kun _spoke about _Sakura-chan _for the very first time. And guess what he said?"

"_Nani?_" Tomoyo said, getting more interested by the minute.

"He said she's alive."

"_Nani?" _Tomoyo was in shock now. "How does he know?"

"A magical aura."

"In Tokyo?"

"_Hai_, in Tokyo. How'd you know?"

Tomoyo told her about how she, Kero, Touya and Yukito tried to perform a ritual to find her, but ended up finding Syaoran instead.

"Well, then you'd better get yourselves here in Tokyo," Meiling whispered harshly into the phone.

Tomoyo laughed. "Actually, we already planned it."

---

"This must be a dream," Syaoran said to himself, when he saw his surroundings.

It was back to the beginning of when he was with Sakura. Sunny, with the beautiful blue sky, blooming cherry blossoms –

Memories of her came flooding back. Before – everything.

Suddenly, the atmosphere changed. Sakura's face winced in pain.

"_Syaoran-kun!"_

He looked around, but everything was dark.

"_Syaoran-kun!"_

Her voice was haunting him, and then suddenly, he saw her, bruised badly and bleeding badly.

"Oh God! _Sakura-chan!_"

But as he ran to her in the dream, a veiled lady came out. "I don't think so," a voice said, but it wasn't a female voice. It was monstrous, yet it seemed to come from the lady, who then clicked her fingers.

Sakura disappeared.

"_Sakura!"_

But he was all alone.

"_Gomen_."

"You didn't think I was really gone – did you?" Sakura's voice came. He turned around, and saw her on his left.

She came nearer and nearer to him, and touched his face. He trembled under her touch, but heard other people calling him –

And he woke up.

---

"Rinko, where are you?"

A thirteen year old girl with honey-brown hair and green eyes jumped down the stairs and met her mother.

"Yes, mother?"

"Right, tell Raika to get the table ready. Dad'll be home a little late. I just have to see someone –"

"As part of your social worker's duty, huh?" Rinko finished for her mother.

"Rinko Motsunoko, don't act smart with me! Go and study like your sister!"

"Sister's a nerd," Rinko said simply.

"Just because she studies a lot and wears glasses doesn't make her a nerd. At least no one would say she's stupid," her mother said, and then, checking her watch exclaimed in surprise.

"Oh dear! I'll be late!" she cried.

"Have a nice time, mom!"

---

"Ah, _Hanako-chan_, you're finally here," a man with auburn hair and brown eyes opened the door.

"_Ohayu_, _Nakamura-san_," Hanako said. "_Gomenasai, _I'm sorry I'm late, but my darling daughter Rinko was being smart with me."

"That's the younger one?"

"_Hai_."

"Well, I told you, you didn't have to come."

"_Hai_, but you're a friend, _Nakamura-san_."

"_Shiro-san, _please call me that, _Hanako-chan_."

"Whatever you want. So, what is it you want to talk to me about?"

"I think I'm married."

---

Hanako was shocked when she heard her charge say that he had a son.

"So you finally remember who you are?"

"No," Shiro said. "I just remember a woman. She was very beautiful, fair skinned with dark, silky straight, black hair and blue eyes. I also think I have a son."

"Just a son?"

"That's all I remember seeing."

"In your dreams?"

"It comes sometimes. I can't control it. But those memories – they're the happiest moments of my life –"

Hanako looked pityingly at her charge.

"They said that all documents were damaged in the fire at the hospital you got transferred to in Tokyo. Do you have anything that could remind you of your life before the accident that left you in a coma for ten years and gave you amnesia?"

"No."

"Well, we'll just have to wait."

"I loved her."

"Eh?"

"That woman – I loved her. She smelt of flowers."

"_Shiro-san _– maybe – maybe you ought to go to a proper therapist."

Shiro only nodded.

"You know what, Shiro? It's very peculiar. I've just recently had another case, just like yours. Maybe –"

"I'd love to help, _Hanako-chan_."

---

Meiling Li was worried. Syaoran had been having weird dreams – probably about Sakura, but she –

She'd been having weirder dreams, and they all involved the people she remembered during the time when she was in Tomoeda, and a blue-eyed boy. He looked like how Syaoran described one of those boys he'd get jelous about when Sakura was with him – Eriol?

She dialed Tomoyo's home number by mistake, and even then, she dialed the wrong numbers, and before she could hang up, a girl's voice was heard, uncannily like Sakura's.

"_Moshi-moshi,_ _Kominota Sumire _here!"

---

Author's Note:

Awww… (disappointed) I was hoping for some reviews for the story, but I suppose it really isn't that good. But I'll never know until I get some feedback.

I want it to be clear that Syaoran now always speaks in Mandarin, not Japanese. Firstly, Japan reminds him of Sakura (and he wants to forget the pain by forgetting Sakura) and secondly, Japanese is his least favourite subject.

So, because there are mandarin words, I'm going to translate the ones on this page (and some Japanese included, if you don't know them):

_a yi (Mandarin) auntie_

_Wo shen me dou bu zhi dao (Mandarin) I know nothing about it_

_Wo bu yao (Mandarin) I don't want to_

_Ni wei shen me bu shuo han yu? (Mandarin) Why aren't you speaking Mandarin?_

_Wo shi ni de ma ma (Mandarin) I'm your mother_

_Ni zen me bu zao shuo ya? (Mandarin) Why didn't you say so earlier?_

_Zai jian (Mandarin)/Ja ne (Japanese) Goodbye_

_Kimi o aishiteru (Japanese)I love you_

Also, I'd like to point out in my fic that _Ying Fa_ is not the exact meaning of Sakura's name in Chinese, at least not in the same dialect that Syaoran uses. _Xiao-Lang _is little wolf in Mandarin, whilst _ying fa _is Cantonese for Sakura's name, I suppose. _Hua _is flower in Mandarin, which is more appropriate, should Syaoran ever choose to have a nickname for Sakura, because he does, after all, speak Mandarin (because of his name) more likely than Cantonese.


	3. The Reunion And Revelations

**Twisted Identities**

By lianneharmony

---

Disclaimer

_I do not own any characters presently linked with CCS at the moment. Everything else you see here is a figment of my imagination_

_---_

Summary

_Sakura Kinomoto was the Mistress of the Clow Cards, wielding enormous power over the magical worlds, surpassing some of the descendants of families with ancient ties to the realm of the supernatural. So when she disappears, along with her father, after a freak incident, it is no surprise that the whole incident had to be magic-related. Years later, after futile attempts of trying to find them, Syaoran and Meiling Li team up with the old cardcaptors' team, in order to uncover the mystery behind their disappearance, made more difficult when a new and strange aura of magic is sensed in the middle of Tokyo._

---

Translations of Mandarin and Japanese words are below, under Author's Notes.

---

Flashback from Chapter 2:

_She dialed Tomoyo's home number by mistake, and even then, she dialed the wrong numbers, and before she could hang up, a girl's voice was heard, uncannily like Sakura's._

"_Moshi-moshi, Kominota Sumire here!"_

---

Chapter 3: The Reunion

(And Revelations)

Meiling's thoughts kept rushing out of control. _Could this be Sakura-chan?_

"_Moshi-moshi? Moshi-moshi?_" the voice echoed. Meiling was in a state of shock. _Sumire Kominata _must be _Sakura Kinomoto_ – but, why didn't she recognize Meiling's voice?

_She's putting on a disguise! _Was Meiling's first thought.

"If you don't answer now, I'm hanging up the phone."

Still, Meiling couldn't answer. Just as she was about to, however, she heard that Sumire girl say, "_Baka_."

And she hung up the phone.

"What a rude –" But Meiling refrained from finishing the sentence. This was, after all, her beloved cousin's sweetheart, so she'd have to cut down on the swearing.

On second thought –

Damn that two-faced bitch.

That was better. After this, she'd cut Sumire – no, Sakura – some slack.

And she'd tell Syaoran about her call in the morning. He was probably asleep now.

And Tomoyo too.

---

Syaoran woke up early that day. So, without saying anything to Meiling, he decided to go off for a walk.

Tokyo was so different from Tomoeda, yet – at that moment, he could think only of her.

But that wouldn't do.

No, it wouldn't do, not at all.

---

Andou Motsunoko was busy. Being a member of the Board of Directors of a company, with ties to the police, he was surprised when he heard, from his beloved wife Hanako that another incident similar to one ten years ago had occurred. However, this seemed to be more devastating, crueler –

He knew the person who had been in charge of the accident then. With his help, the man who had been involved in the accident was funded for hospital payments. This was primarily because of his efforts of trying to improve the company's publice relations' image. But there was something about that guy anyway –

When he woke up – unexpectedly – he was discovered to have developed amnesia, and so he was to be registered as Shiro Nakamura until his true identity was discovered. He put Hanako – who was a social worker – to promise that she'd volunteer to take his case. And Hanako – being the adoring, lovely wife – agreed without hesitation.

There was something about that guy. Andou could feel it.

The phone rang. "_Motsunoko-san?"_ a female voice came from the other side.

Andou's face relaxed into a soft smile. "_Kaho-chan_, how are you?"

---

Early that morning, Tomoyo, Touya and Yukito arrived in Tokyo.

"I feel jet-lagged," Touya said. "Let's crash at the nearest hotel."

"Wherever that is, I hope it has an all-you-can-eat buffet," Yukito replied, stomach growling.

"Don't tell me you're hungry again!" Kero whispered furiously from his hiding-place in Tomoyo's backpack.

"Now, now, _Kero-chan_. At any rate, we still have to look for Sakura. Sense anything?"

Kero stiffened from inside Tomoyo's backpack. "I feel – something strange – too much magical auras – I can't filter out anything –"

"Well at least we know something's going to happen here," Touya remarked.

"And it can start by us looking for _Li-kun_ and _Meiling-chan_ –"

"That _gaki_? Why do we have to look for him?"

"Now, now, _Touya­-san_," Yukito began.

"Because one of the reasons why we're here so soon is because I heard they were here. I received a call from _Meiling-chan_ late last night, after I finished packing. She confirmed ­_Kero-chan's _belief that _Sakura-chan _is actually still alive."

"_Nani?_" Kero's hoarse whisper was heard. "But, that _baka-kuzo_ –"

"I suppose you and _Touya-san_ just have to get over it," Tomoyo remarked.

"And that cousin of his – arghhhh!" Kero wailed.

---

_There isn't anything I'd not do, if only it meant I'd see you again._

_Unfortunately, looking for you is like looking for diamonds in the raw earth – your beauty far outshines them, but you're oh-so-hard to find, even with all that._

_I wonder – do you still remember me?_

---

Meiling knocked and knocked at the door to Syaoran's room, but only in vain.

He wasn't in.

Damn that oh-so-_kawaii_ cousin of hers. Just when she had something important to say.

Oh, well, at least she could research more on that Sumire Kominata.

---

After hours of slaving away, researching for that girl, Meiling finally found something about Sumire Kominata –

She went to school at a certain academy in Tokyo, the Seiei Academy, famed for its reputation of excellent students and being an elite school.

So_ Kominata-san _is an elite student, is she?

She scrolled down along the website of the Seiei Academy, and decided to view last year's yearbook. Sumire Kominata was in the tenth grade last year, in the top class, 10A. She saw pictures of the students.

And looked shocked.

Whilst she couldn't say that Sumire Kominata looked exactly like Sakura Kinomoto, there were some uncanny resemblances. Both had copper-brown hair (although Sumire's was shades darker), and where Sumire's eyes were sapphire blue, Sakura's was an emerald green. Sumire was not that tall either, rather petite, at five feet one, whereas Meiling expected Sakura to be at least a few inches taller. However, Sumire also seemed to be head cheerleader and a sportswoman, very much like how Meiling expected Sakura would be. Pictures of Sumire with the other girls and boys in the school graced the website, mostly with her being a little – well a lot, when with the guys – shorter.

She hadn't grown much, Meiling mused. She tried imagining Sumire and Syaoran together – but somehow, it didn't fit, not just because Syaoran was tall (he was about 5' 10") and Sumire was really, really petite, but really, they didn't go well together in her perception, although Meiling wasn't exactly sure why.

She continued browsing through the website. In Hong Kong, both she and Syaoran were home-tutored, and the last school she remembered attending was in primary school at Tomoeda, which was about five years ago, when she was in the fifth grade.

After all, she was getting a little intrigued by the Seiei Academy, not just because of its eliteness, but also because Syaoran's heartache could finally recede.

She browsed through the rest of its webpages. The rest was mainly about how Sumire was a great student – vice-president of the student council, head cheerleader and sportswoman, one of the top students, accomplished cellist, quiz captain –

There was also a bit on other students in her class, such as that interesting looking girl. Though bespectacled, Meiling thought her very familiar, too familiar for comfort.

"Raika Motsunoko," she read out. "Top student, sportswoman, debater and emcee for school functions, member of student council – hmm." Almost like Sumire, but with different interests. Hair colour the same, although lighter, a little taller and fuller in figure, although she was also fit and at an ideal weight, and with longer hair, which was tied back into a ponytail. Eye colour uncertain, because of her spectacles.

No, she was sure she never met a girl like that.

---

Tomoyo was having trouble getting a taxi to get to the hotel were Syaoran and Meiling were staying. It didn't help that the other guys (well, Touya and Yukito at least) were busy complaining about lack of sleep (Touya) and lack of food (Yukito).

"Aww, _Tomoyo-chan_, don't give up easily."

"This is one of the times I actually wish my mother sent me some bodyguards to help me get around. I had no idea Tokyo was such a huge city. Compared to Hong Kong, it's so crowded."

"Well, why don't you just walk?"

"With all that luggage and _Touya-san_ and _Yukito-san_ complaining?"

"Oh, _Kami-sama_! I'm so tired! _Tomoyo-chan_, when can we get to the hotel?" Touya said, as if to confirm this.

"Just a minute," Tomoyo said, forcing a smile.

"Well, you could always use the subway –"

"But I've never gone on a subway before. And I don't know how to use it!"

"Ask _Touya-san_ and _Yukito-san_, they should know."

---

"Aw man, couldn't we get a taxi?" Kero whined.

"Hey, you're the one who suggested this in the first place," Touya whispered, lugging a bit of luggage. Luckily, people in Tokyo didn't really care about what happened to strangers, so t didn't seem so strange that Touya kept on mumbling, seemingly to himself.

"_Kami-sama, _I'm so hungry!" Yukito said again for the billionth time, and Touya threw him an apple, which he surprisingly managed to catch, with baggage and all.

"_Arigato, Touya-san_," he thanked the taller guy, gobbling the apple in less than a minute.

Touya just grunted in reply.

"Don't worry, we'll find her –" Yukito began.

"Yeah, well, I hope so," Touya spat out, clearly unhappy due to not only his lack of sleep but his worrying about his younger sister.

"Hey, I thought I felt a magical aura nearby," they heard Kero whine. "Wait I want to know whose aura that was! Give me a little time to identify it –"

But they were already leaving the subway station.

---

Syaoran walked around, with an uncertain pace, until he saw some people he'd thought he wouldn't see: Tomoyo, Touya, and Yukito. And he felt anther magical aura. That had to belong to Kero.

They were leaving the station, and it suddenly occurred to him that they too, might be in Tokyo, looking for Sakura.

He had to stop them and talk to them or ask them questions or something. They were about sixty feet away, and Syaoran broke into a run.

Unfortunately for him, there were too many people, and by the time he got close enough, they had already boarded and left the subway station.

_Shoot!_ He got out his cellphone and dialed Meiling's number.

---

"_Xiao-Lang! Ni wei zen me bu shuo _–?"

"Whatever it is, I'll tell you later, _Mei-Ling_, but just now – _wo kan Touya, Yukito he Tomoyo_. They're in Tokyo, and –"

"_Wo zhi dao_. I wanted to tell you last night. I called Tomoyo and –"

"_Ni shuo zen me?"_

"_Ai ya_, _Xiao-Lang! _Chill, will you!"

"Not until you tell me what's going on."

"Well, apparently, the four of them – meaning Tomoyo, Touya, Yukito and Kero – have reason to believe Sakura's in Tokyo. They were already coming here when I called them, and I confirmed their suspicions by saying you also felt her aura in Tokyo."

"_Ni wei zen me shuo –?"_

"They can help us, okay? Oh, and I was going to tell you this morning. Last night, I was going to redial Tomoyo's unmber, and while I tried to call her house – I know, I should have called her cellphone, but I don't know why I called her house phone, but anyway – I got the wrong numbers, and I heard someone who sounded uncannily like Sakura pick up the phone –"

"_Ni shuo zen me?"_

"And guess what? Her name is almost like Sakura's, but instead of _Kinomoto Sakura_, it's _Kominata Sumire_!"

"I don't believe it."

"You better believe it, and guess what? She's like how Sakura would be. You know, head cheerleader, sportswoman. There are a few differences, of course. She lives here in Tokyo, but I can't explain it all now. You'd better come back to the hotel. Where are you now?"

"At the subway station, where I saw the others."

"Oh! That means they're going to be here soon. Syaoran, get here ASAP! _Ni ming bai ma?"_

"_Ming bai," _Syaoran sighed, before hanging up, and trying to rush his way back to the hotel.

Now, if only he could remember the directions –

---

"_Hanako-chan_, so this is the guy you believe to have similar case as mine, eh?" Shiro Nakamura asked his social worker, as they stood outside a hospital room in the emergency rooms' section, where a man with bandages was in a comatose state.

"_Hai, Shiro-san_. We don't know his name. We've heard he had an accident out of Tokyo, but was transferred here for some reason, probably due to serious injuries. It's really very peculiar, and I wonder why no one has any records of his accident or identity. I mean, it must have been a pretty huge accident to cause such a massive injury. It's almost like yours."

"How come no one can identify his identity?"

"Your guess is as good as mine. Apparently, there was a fire and that destroyed all records in the hospital. Not like yours, though, where you were found abandoned in an alley with severe injuries. Also, the doctors of the floor contracted a case of short-term amnesia due to their injuries –"

"At a hospital?" Shiro Nakamura was incredulous now.

Hanako Motsunoko shrugged. "I told you, it's unbelieveable."

"– and so they forgot about the patient."

"_Hai."_

"Isn't it a little suspicious that the hospital forgot only about one patient?"

"Not really. You see, _Shiro-san_, only a few doctors knew about this case. It was labeled top-secret for some reason."

"Unbelieveable."

"Tell me about it," and Hanako sighed.

_Tell me about it, Fujitaka-san!_

Shiro Nakamura suddenly sat up straight. "Did you hear that?"

Hanako stared at him. "What?"

"I heard someone's voice saying exactly what you said, but to someone named Fujitaka –"

"Could it be – that your – memories –" Hanako was unable to finish her sentence.

---

"_Rinko-chan_, where's mother?" Raika Motsunoko asked her younger sister as soon as she came out of the study room.

"Out, with _Nakamura-san_. – Hey, what's wrong?" Rinko came close to her sister. "You look pale."

"I'm – I'm alright. I just feel drained."

"All that self-destructiveness draining you out? I wonder how come none of your friends notice that you pour hot, scalding water over your body, or maybe that's because you hide the marks at school, and don't bother at home, or that you squeeze your zits. And it's not because you've got a problem – no, _Raika-chan_ is the perfect daughter. Dutiful, obedient in everything, except when it comes to herself, even when her parents scream at her, slap her to stop ruining herself, she doesn't. She likes hurting herself badly for some reason. From that twisted ankle to your face –"

"Whatever, _Rinko-chan_." And Raika stormed off.

"You know I'm prettier than you are!"

"_Ja ne!" _And Rinko heard her sister slam the door.

"I guess it's that time of the month again," Rinko said.

---

"_Ohayu!_" Meiling screamed and hugged Tomoyo tightly, as soon as she opened the door and saw the three of them there.

"_Ohayu, Meiling-chan_. So, where's _Syaoran-kun_?"

"Out. He saw you at the subway, but before he could speak to you, you guys left."

"Oh, so that's the reason why I felt that aura of magic. That _baka no kuzo_," Kero's muffled voice was heard from Tomoyo's backpack.

"Oh, so we meet again," Meiling said, carelessly.

"_Hai_, and you'd better have something ready for me. I'm starving."

"Nope, you can starve to death for all I care."

"_Waaaaa! – _You're so mean. You really haven't changed!"

"Well, I'm not a stuffed toy –!"

"Why you – let me at her!" And Kero was almost ready to attack.

"Eh, _Kero-chan_! You must remember you're a guest!" Tomoyo gave a little cry.

"Uh – aw, man!"

"Eh, what happened to the others?" Meiling wondered, after Kero was pacified by Tomoyo.

"Oh, dear!" Tomoyo cried.

Touya had fainted in the hallway, whilst Yukito was holding his stomach and quietly groaning.

"Oh, _kami-sama_, just come in. I have some food ready, and there's a nice bed."

"Food?" And Yukito lugged the whole lot of suitcases into the room.

"I guess you'd have to help me with him, Tomoyo," Meiling told her.

The two girls lugged Touya's body and dumped him on the bed, where he slept soundly, as Yukito waited patiently for food. Not like Kero, who was screaming, "I want food! I want food! I – want – fo-od!"

"He has nice abs," Meiling commented, earning glares from Kero.

"Hello! I'm starving here, and all you can think about are _Touya-san's _– body?" Kero disgusted remarked. "Did you turn into some kind of perverted –? Aaaaah, no! Wrong thoughts! Wrong thoughts!"

Tomoyo gave a little giggle, whilst Yukito simply smiled faintly.

---

Whilst Touya slept and Yukito and Kero ate (non-stop, she added. "I guess you still eat a lot," she said smilingly to Yukito, whilst to Kero it was a stern, "I put poison in that food."), Meiling and Tomoyo chit-chatted about life in general.

"So, how's life been?"

"Awful, _Meiling-chan_. I feel so lonely now, without _Sakura-chan_."

"But you're so popular in Tomoeda! What happened?"

"Well, Tomoeda was – well – I can't deny the occasional boyfriend and groups, but it wasn't fun anymore." She looked down. "Sakura was my very best friend, and it was really uncomfortable to enjoy myself without her around. I felt almost guilty, when I hung out with everyone and Sakura wasn't there –"

"Do you still take videos?"

Tomoyo looked up with watery eyes. "No, I gave up on that."

"But you love recording videos!"

"And I loved Sakura as well. She was like a sister to me."

Meiling got up and hugged Tomoyo. It was her turn to comfort the crying girl.

"Don't worry, _Tomoyo-chan_. We'll find her."

---

Raika Motsunoko woke up with a shock. This dream she had at night was extremely different from the dreams she usually had – where she was free to be who she really was –

But tonight – it was different. She saw a book, which she opened – and suddenly – suddenly –

A flash of light came out.

"We've been waiting for you –" A calm voice said, so familiar that Raika said, "Mother?"

But it couldn't be. As the light that surrounded the figure dimmed, Raika saw her features. She was taller than her and slender, with wavy dark hair and grey eyes. No, this wasn't Hanako Motsunoko. This was a stranger altogether.

Yet, there was something so very familiar about her. She suddenly saw a vision of a young girl with copper-brown hair sitting on the lady's lap.

What did that have to do with Raika anyway?

But suddenly the atmosphere changed, becoming more menacing. The air became heavy, and seemed to choke her instead –

"Raika – Raika – that girl – whom you call her Rinko Motsunoko –" the voice came.

"Who is she anyway?"

The voice echoed around her, torturing her with those words.

"She is my sister – just as I am – Raika Motsunoko," she said, through clenched teeth.

"Or is she?" The voice replied, echoing back. "Or are you?"

---

Author's Note:

Awww… (disappointed) I was hoping for some reviews for the story, but I suppose it really isn't that good. But I'll never know until I get some feedback.

_Kami-sama (Japanese)_God

_Arigato (Japanese)_Thank you

_Ni wei zen me bu shuo? (Mandarin)_Why didn't you say?

_Wo kan Touya, Yukito he Tomoyo (Mandarin)_I saw Touya, Yukito and Tomoyo

_Ni shuo zen me? (Mandarin)_Say what?

_Ai ya (Mandarin)_Oh dear

_Ni wei zen me shuo? (Mandarin)_Why did you say?

_Ni ming bai ma? (Mandarin)_Do you understand?

_Ming bai (Mandarin)_Understand/Understood.


	4. The Beginnings And Reunions

**Twisted Identities**

By lianneharmony

---

Disclaimer

_I do not own any characters presently linked with CCS at the moment. Everything else you see here is a figment of my imagination_

_---_

Summary

_Sakura Kinomoto was the Mistress of the Clow Cards, wielding enormous power over the magical worlds, surpassing some of the descendants of families with ancient ties to the realm of the supernatural. So when she disappears, along with her father, after a freak incident, it is no surprise that the whole incident had to be magic-related. Years later, after futile attempts of trying to find them, Syaoran and Meiling Li team up with the old cardcaptors' team, in order to uncover the mystery behind their disappearance, made more difficult when a new and strange aura of magic is sensed in the middle of Tokyo._

---

Translations of new Mandarin and Japanese words are below, under Author's Notes.

---

Flashback from Chapter 3:

"_Who is she anyway?"_

_The voice echoed around her, torturing her with those words._

"_She is my sister – just as I am – Raika Motsunoko," she said, through clenched teeth._

"_Or is she?" The voice replied, echoing back. "Or are you?"_

---

Chapter 4: The Beginnings 

(And Reunions)

"_Mei-Ling, _are you inside?" Syaoran asked, whilst knocking at Meiling's hotel door.

"_Shi. Qing jin!_" Meiling replied, opening the door.

Syaoran walked in, without any hesitation, and – saw _them _again.

"_Kuzo_," Kero said softly. Yukito looked in amazement at Syaoran, and Touya, who was still sleeping, didn't pay much attention.

"Hey there," Syaoran said, not bothering to reply in Japanese.

"What did he say?" Tomoyo asked Meiling.

"He said hi," Meiling translated. "_Xiao-Lang_, _wei shen me tai – _they are our guests. Couldn't you be a little civil as to speak in the same language?"

Syaoran sighed and said, "_Konichiwa_, what's up?"

"Oh, _Li-kun_, I am so happy that – you look well," Tomoyo struggled for words to say.

Syaoran put up his hands. "Say no more. I hear you guys are looking for _Sakura-chan_."

"_Hai_, and we'd really appreciate it if you could, you know –"

"Help out? Of course."

"Eh, _kuzo, _why are you acting so strange?"

Syaoran simply ignored Kero, which only exasperated the guardian. But before Kero could yell at him, Meiling said softly, "Don't say anything yet, I'll explain everything about him later." Then, speaking aloud, she said, "Would all of you like to see a picture of _Kominata Sumire?_"

---

"Unreal," Kero said softly, as he looked at the computer screen. Tomoyo's eyes welled with tears.

"So she was alive, all this while?"

"Seems like it," Yukito answered.

Meiling glanced at her cousin. So far he hadn't had any reaction after seeing Sumire's picture. She nudged him.

"Well, what do you think?" She said in Mandarin, softly.

Syaoran's eyes simply narrowed. "She's pretty."

"I sense a but."

"It's strange to see her, having a normal school-life."

"I researched on her background. Her 'mother' is supposedly the daughter of a rich tycoon, and her 'father' is a well-known, rising politician. She's an elite student, and she is almost a socialite. The Kominata residence is large, like the Daidouji estate, but it is a classy penthouse, near the major shopping districts in Tokyo, and might even be worth a couple more yen than _Tomoyo-chan's _mansion. They also employ many servants, apparently, for housework, bodyguards and chauffeurs for Sumire herself."

Syaoran grimaced. Sakura was a simple girl – she wouldn't socialize that much. And she always helped with the housework, albeit grudgingly, especially when Touya asked her to do _his _chores in return for a favour. This couldn't be Sakura. But Syaoran turned to his cousin and asked, "Why'd you research all of this?"

"For fun," Meiling drawled sarcastically. But she hugged Syaoran, and said, "Won't it be so amazing if _Sakura-chan's _alive? Then we can all live happily ever after. And then –" Meiling continued over and over again with some story, whilst Syaoran didn't pay attention.

"_Meiling-chan_, do you know what I think?" Syaoran's ears pricked up as he heard Tomoyo's voice call out, from where she, kero and Yukito were browsing the websites.

"What?" Meiling finally stopped with the story so that she could reply.

"I think, we should all enter Seiei Academy just to see what it's like," Tomoyo said, grinning.

---

Touya woke up suddenly on a bed, and saw Tomoyo, Yukito, Meiling, Kero and –

"What's the _gaki _doing here?" Touya spoke without thinking.

"You should really watch what you say, _Touya-san_," Tomoyo spoke hastily. "_Li-kun _here is going to help us." Tomoyo explained everything that happened while he was asleep.

"_Nani?_" Touya yelled, when she got to the part about Sumire Kominata. "I need to see that picture!"

"You might even see her in person. We'll be visiting the Seiei Academy tomorrow."

"_Nani?_"

"_Meiling-chan, Li-kun _and I will be enrolling there. We'll learn more about this _Kominata Sumire_."

"_Hai_," Meiling asserted, but Syaoran remained silent. Touya noticed this, and said, "What's up_, gaki_?"

"None of your business. – _Mei-Ling, wo bu ke yi qu na. Dui bu qi_," Syaoran said, first to Touya in Japanese, then reverting to Mandarin when he spoke to Meiling.

"_Nani_? Why?" Meiling replied, in Japanese.

"I came here to do something for my mother. I don't have time for this."

"But _Xiao-Lang!_"

"I'll start looking for the book tomorrow." And Syaoran got up and left the hotel room.

"What's with the _gaki_?" Touya remarked after Syaoran had left.

---

Syaoran left the room, and sat on his bed. Right now, he didn't understand what was going on. He felt confused. Why was he actually here?

This all started because of Sakura.

He sighed. It was time to forget her.

But couldn't he hold on to hope, if there even was the slightest possibility that _Sumire Kominata _was indeed _Sakura Kinomoto?_

---

From a mirror, a veiled woman watched the group at the hotel.

"I only hope she learns the power of prayer. It could buy them all some time, and strengthen her dormant powers," she murmured.

---

When Raika got to school, there was nothing out of the ordinary. She said hello to her classmates cheerily, and sat down, gazing out of the window. The table joined to hers was empty and she remembered how lonely she felt. Ever since –

"_Ohayu gozaimasu_," a teacher greeted the students as they came in.

And promptly she forgot about what she was thinking.

---

During the middle of the Japanese language class which Raika took, the teacher's class was interrupted by the entrance of the academy's coordinator. In hushed tones, both the teacher and the coordinator spoke.

When the coordinator left, the teacher turned to speak to the students. "It seems like there have been two students who have enrolled in _Gakuen Seiei_. They'll be arriving later on, tomorrow at the latest."

The news sent the class into a frenzy. Who could come into Seiei Academy in such short notice? And in the middle of the year, when they'd be sitting for the exam early next year?

Raika turned around to speak to her friends, Aya Akira and Shiyori Hayashi. "I can't believe it! There's finally going to be some new students."

"Sure," Aya replied. "It'd make the whole school so much interesting," quoting Raika.

They just didn't know how interesting it'd get.

---

Syaoran looked around, and after asking around, managed to locate a small bookstore in the middle of Tokyo. It was almost too easy. The hapless shopkeeper didn't even know that he had a copy of _The Book of Illusions_, which Clow Reed had written. He didn't even realize that it was an antique book, containing various magical spells. At any rate, the shopkeeper simply waved the book in front of him and heartily agreed to the measly sum Syaoran had offered.

It was wrong, Syaoran admitted, to ask so low a price for the book. But the shopkeeper didn't seem to care, so he didn't. Preparation that Syaoran had underwent since his return to Hong Kong from Tomoeda had made him a shrewd businessman. He was confident that his mother would be proud when he succeeded her as the head of the Li clan –

It was at this moment he realized he was near the area where the Seiei Academy was located. _It wouldn't hurt much_, he thought, _to visit the academy and see what it was like –_

It seemed like it was recess when he got there, as students began piling out of the classrooms. From the fenced area that enclosed the Seiei Academy, he had full view of the canteen and the huge field. It was strange to see the huge campus in the middle of the bustling city of Tokyo. But the Seiei Academy had been established a long time ago, so it couldn't be helped, he supposed.

He sighed. Perhaps Tomoyo and Meiling had already entered the academy.

Perhaps Sakura was there –

And lo and behold! There came Sakura from outside the academy! He was about to shout her name – no, he actually shouted her name, and was now coming into the school compounds. Some students stared at him, but he paid no attention –

"Sakura!"

He saw her turn around, but he realized her hair was longer and not in the same style. Besides, Sakura didn't wear glasses –

He was about to run closer to find out who that girl really was, before a throng of students separated them, and when he looked back, the girl was gone from sight.

_Shoot._

---

"_Raika-chan_, I think there's a weird guy calling you," Aya nudged her.

Raika spun around. She frowned. "No, I've never seen that guy before – I think. He does look familiar, but then again, there are thousands of people in Tokyo"

"If you ask me, he's pretty hot," Shiyori eyed him from afar.

"What about Takeshi Kaneshiro?" Aya teased Shiyori, who said off-handedly, "He won't mind me dating other guys."

"But isn't love supposed to last forever?" Raika said innocently.

Both Aya and Shiyori stared at her, and then resumed their teasing.

Raika shrugged. She was used to not being answered to. After all, she was at least a year younger than both of them –

"Can we at least go to the office? I need to pick up something from the registrar."

Aya and Shiyori agreed, and they all walked to the office together.

---

"Are you sure you both are qualified enough to enter the 4th year of high school at Seiei Academy? The students will enter the last year soon. Even though your marks are impressive – especially yours, Miss Daidouji (here the principal eyed Tomoyo) – still, emotionally –"

"We can do it!" Meiling said assertively, in a tone that said 'What? You dare to doubt _moi_?'

The principal still looked hesitant. Tomoyo saw this.

"Look, let's just give this a try, alright sir? If it doesn't work out, no big deal –"

The principal frowned, but then sighed heavily. "What harm could it do?"

"Thank you, sir. We really appreciate it," Tomoyo said, and stood up. Meiling did the same.

"Wait, I'll get one of the members of the student council to show you around. You _are _staying for the afternoon classes, aren't you?" The principal stood up, and went in front of them to open the door.

"Yes, and thank you very much," Meiling replied.

"Let's proceed then. The students are at lunch, so it should be easy to find on of the students.

---

"Ah, we're in luck," the principal said, as they walked to the entrance of the office. They spotted three girls near the registrar. "Not one, not two, but _three _senior members of the student council – Motsunoko, Akira, Hayashi!"

The three girls spun around simultaneously. "_Konbawa, sensei!_"

The principal smiled at the three. "Just the people I was looking for." Motioning to Meiling and Tomoyo, the principal continued, "These two girls are _Daidouji Tomoyo _and _Li Meiling_. They're both going to be new students in your class. – Miss Daidouji, Miss Li, these three girls – members of the student council – are in your class. This is _Motsunoko Raika_ (motioning to a very pretty girl, who was of medium height and athletic in build – Meiling recognized her from the website, and felt that funny familiar feeling, Tomoyo stared at her), _Akira Aya _(motioning to a very, very petite girl who looked younger than her real age), and _Hayashi Shiyori_ (the last girl, who looked shy and slightly awkward. She was too skinny, Tomoyo thought, not at all good for any designs she might make)."

"I'd advise both of you to stay close to the three girls here. All three are very accomplished students of the school. For example, Aya here is a professional figure skater, Shiyori is an assistant head to the student council, and Raika is an all-rounder – can we expect our team to do well this year, Raika?" The principal shot her the question.

Raika paled. "Ah – er – I'm not captain – but (Tomoyo saw her regain her composure) – I'm sure – I'm sure we'll all do our best!"

"Good, good," the principal said indulgently. "Well, Shiyori, Aya, how about both of you?"

"Fine, _sensei_," they chorused.

"Good, good," the principal repeated, and looked at the clock in the office. "Well, lunch is almost over. Why don't you take them to class, the three of you? Enjoy yourselves!"

The five girls stared at each other.

---

Kero had pestered both Touya and Yukito to take him out in Tokyo, for the sole reason of eating –

"I still don't know why we're out of the hotel," Touya muttered, carrying a little bag.

"We're taking Kero out for lunch, remember?" Yukito reminded him.

"Ha-ha-ha," Touya 'laughed''. "You're just pacifying him because _you're_ hungry."

Yukito sighed.

"Honestly, _Touya-san_, you shouldn't –"

"Are we there yet?" Kero popped his head out of the bag.

"Kero!" Yukito cried. "You're not supposed to have your head out of the bag!"

"Shut up or someone will hear!" Touya cried. The very, very busy people of Tokyo actually had time to look their way and stare.

"You were saying?" Kero asked.

"Shut up," Touya grumbled.

"Wait a second –"

"Shut up!" Touya said again.

"But –"

"_Shut up!_"

"But she's –"

"Who's _she_?" Yukito asked. Or at least wanted to ask, because Touya was yelling at a tiny bag, walking towards a building, crying, "_Shut the hell up!_"

And thirty-seconds to impact –

"Touya –" Yukito wanted to warn him.

Fifteen seconds –

_Wham!_ Touya walked into a building and fell down. Getting up, he saw a beautiful woman, tall, with long red hair, staring down at him.

It was Kaho Mizuki.

"Well, hello there, _Touya-san_," she said, smilingly at the very tall guy who was now obstructing pedestrian traffic. "_Yukito-san_, Kero –" Kaho acknowledged them.

Yukito returned the greeting, but Touya – who was still sprawled on the ground – groaned and looked at the ground. Kero, who had also been hit by the impact, dizzily looked at Touya and said, "I told you so."

---

Author's Note:

Aiiiiiii! Thanks so much to you guys who reviewed the story this far! Namely **xoMoichella**,** crimson tears of the kyuubi**, and **Hikari Clow Reed**. You guys super rock!

Anyway,s have decided (trumpeting) that to everyone who reviews you get a sneak preview of the next chapter! Yay! Isn't that nice of me? Lol, just kidding. But remember, this is only if you sign a verified review. I can't send to anonymous reviewers, okay?

So – tell me what you think of the story so far? And if you have any theories or suggestions, drop them in!

Love,

lianneharmony


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